5 Things You Should Be Doing to Have Better Skin

This is a guest post from Dr. George Shanlikian, M.D., medical director of Genemedics Health Institute.

Gone are the simple days when using a withered bar of soap and covering up shaving nicks with toilet paper were typical.

In today’s age of metrosexuality, an overwhelming amount of products doesn’t even suffice to meet the needs of the stubborn male epidermis. We can certainly agree that men’s skin care has come a long way.

While many guys have embraced the glut of grooming goods out there, some are still a bit intimidated and are swift to brush it off. But here’s the thing: you need to have a winning skin care regimen if you want to have a healthy and good-looking skin. It does not have to be fussy or involve complicated steps.

Here are some simple things you can do to take proper care of your skin.

1 – Cleanse

If you don’t follow any other skin care routine, cleansing could just be the most vital thing you can do for your skin.

In general, men’s epidermis has very active sebaceous glands. Although they keep the skin naturally moist, these glands can leave your skin feeling oily and greasy when they produce too much sebum. If you neglect to wash away the dirt and excess oil, they clog your pores, making you prone to skin breakouts.

Don’t reach for that bar of soap, though. Using a simple soap to cleanse your face is essentially as bad as doing nothing at all: it can cause skin dryness. A basic wash gel works fine. Just make sure to look for a cleanser that strikes a balance between tender and tough -use a fragrance-free gel face wash that’s strong enough to fight off the grease and dirt, yet gentle enough to be utilized every day.

2 – Exfoliate

Most of the time, washing your face alone won’t wash away the nasty oil and dirt stuck deep down into your pores. Even if you use a gel face wash, chances are some nasty stuff will be left behind, making your skin feel like a bumpy mess.

Want to know the secret to a healthy, oil-free skin? Exfoliation. You hear about it in commercials and you see shelf after shelf of exfoliation products at drugstores and supermarkets. So what is it and why do you need to do it?

Exfoliation is a shedding process that unclogs pores and scrubs off dead skin cells to keep the skin fresh and clean. Ideally, you should exfoliate two or three times each week to help dislodge the nasties that regular skin cleansing can’t.

Choose an exfoliating scrub with granules. This should diminish the dullness that results from dirt build up and help smooth your skin for a fresher look. Exfoliating also allows the skin to absorb moisturizers better and softens hair follicles for a less irritating shave.

3 – Moisturize

For most men, taking care of the skin starts and stops with a basic cleanser. Although cleansing is vital, washing should not be the absolute thing included in your skin care routine as even the mildest cleansers can leave your skin taut and dry.

Additionally, something as usual as shaving and showering can open up pores, allowing moisture to escape. A light moisturizer can restore it. Beyond quenching your parched skin, a moisturizer with SPF can prevent premature aging, reduce razor burn, and protect you against the UVA rays’ long-term damage, such as skin cancer and deep lines.

4 – Apply an Eye Cream

Not surprisingly, almost every guy neglects to treat and pay special attention to the skin that surrounds the eyes. It’s important to note, though, that men age differently than women. Instead of a slow and gradual wrinkle progression, aging in men happens in leaps. And one of the most visible signs of it can be seen around the eyes.

Long before other areas of your skin show their age, the soft layer of skin surrounding your eyes can already develop creases and wrinkles, which is why this area of your skin requires extra love and care.

To help prevent these aging signs from showing, consider using an eye cream–the one with Q10 coenzyme to fight off fine lines and wrinkles. But, don’t put any on your lids and eye bags. Otherwise, it could cause irritation. It only needs to be gently dabbed on the edge of the bone around your eyes.

Remember, though, that this needs proper use and serious commitment for it to smooth and protect your skin. You can’t just use it for a day or two and expect to see visible improvements instantly. Applying the cream just when you want or remember to will do nothing.

Meanwhile, if you have puffy eye bags, place cucumbers or tea bags on your eyes for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce the swelling.

5 – Use a Lip Balm

Like the fickle skin that surrounds your eyes, your lips’ skin is incredibly thin, making it prone to burning, cracking, drying, and bleeding. Because the lips do not have oil glands and melanin, like the rest of the skin, they are exposed to harmful UV rays and other elements without natural protection.

While a bit of flaking every now and then seems like a no big deal, the combination of small cuts, stress, and sun or wind exposure can lead to cold sores over time. Unless you want to spread Herpes simplex, we suggest a regular lip balm application as often as you can.

Sure, a good sense of style can help elevate one’s looks, but even the best clothing can’t cover up unsightly skin blemishes! Keep in mind, skin care is the single most important thing you can do for your appearance.

About the author: Dr. George Shanlikian, M.D., is the medical director of Genemedics Health Institute. He is a national leader in the field of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) and preventative medicine. Dr. George has spent over 17 years and thousands of hours of training in BHRT and has helped thousands of women and men suffering from symptoms of hormone imbalance.